Google tells me the internet was invented in the 1940’s (by the military, not you Al Gore). Although it wasn’t used much until universities began transmitting information between campuses in the late 60’s.

Isn’t it about time that school districts made friends with it? 40 years later and we are still running scared.

Educators should be leading the fight to have open access to the internet in schools. Instead it seems like we are attempting to limit it.

High school students have been cruising the web their entire lives (granted, they may have started on a dial up connection… but that counts… although barely).

Far too many schools still limit access to students (and in some cases staff).

Why?

We continue to believe the only way for students to learn from the internet is to use it as an electronic encyclopedia.

If we would unblock content what’s the worst thing that could happen?

Are administrators, teachers, and technology people still worried about losing their jobs if a student is caught looking at inappropriate sites (and trust me the key is catching them… because they’re already looking).

Are we afraid students are going to see something they shouldn’t? Will students discover something they haven’t already seen (at home… on the very same internet)?

Do we worry about students wasting time in class? Shouldn’t teachers be making sure they use their time wisely in the classroom or computer lab?

As educators are we just being lazy? Is it easier to block content than take the steps necessary to control it?

What scares us?

I certainly don’t know.

Nobody does.

Consequently, we just keep going down the same path where we limit our students’ ability to use the greatest invention since the bicycle (you have to admit, riding a bike had to be pretty cool in the beginning… no feeding it, no cleaning up after it…).

In mid-October I will be taking my first official business trip (I’m such a big boy).

Did I mention it’s to Miami?

For those of you that don’t teach geography… that’s in Florida. Where it’s warm.

Did I mention it’s a free trip?

The mere thought of rubbing elbows with Crockett and Tubbs (80’s reference) is almost more excitement than I can handle.

I’m not sure how many miles it is to Miami but I know it’s a long way from hall duty.

The American Association of School Administrators have invited me to be a small part of a focus group about the development of a school leadership simulation online program (I say a small part because in case they read this… I want to lessen expectations to the point that if I string together a halfway intelligent sentence, they will consider my participation a success).

I’m not sure what a “school leadership simulation program” is, but I would rather be confused in Miami than have everything under control on hallway duty.

Let’s think about this. They are flying me to Miami to ask my opinion. They could have gotten the very same “Barely Thought Out Almost Boarding on a Complete Lack of Knowledge Opinion” from me if they had just asked.

But whatever. I’m willing to do my part. I’m willing to take one for the team.

So, I am stepping up to the plate and flying to Miami (by myself, which is a first… did I mention what a big boy I am?).

And did I happen to mention the trip is free?

Note from wife: I feel the need to point out that his first plane trip was just 4 years ago when we flew to NECC in San Diego. He has never flown alone and while he is claiming to be a “big boy”, I am feeling a little like a nervous mother. If you see a lost 40-something angry bald man in a suit roaming through the Atlanta airport, will you please contact me?

Here is a link to help with figuring the trip details from our little town in IL to Miami FL. I not only love and use this site regularly, but my company RecessTEC is demoing its use for all classrooms (don’t be afraid to visit us at www.RecessTEC.com as I have time on my hands since I don’t have to make dinner for PrincipalsPage when he is in Florida).

But I was telling the truth about the PrincipalsPage.com Blog getting it’s 100th subscriber.

What does this mean?

Almost absolutely nothing.

But in the smaller sense of things, it does mean 100 people are proud owners of a new PrincipalsPage.com Blog in their email inbox just as soon as I post it.

It also means that there is a huge celebration going on here at PrincipalsPage Corporate Headquarters (we will try to keep it down because it is a school night…).

I (all of us here at headquarters) like to think that each subscriber immediately stops whatever they are doing and puts their entire focus into reading the blog, but that’s probably not true (my best hope is at least 6 of the 100 don’t immediately delete the blog and curse at me for clogging up their email inbox).

But it is an honor to know 100 people think enough of what happens in this space to subscribe to it.

So to everyone who subscribes… Thank You.

And to everyone who hasn’t subscribed… you still have time to join and while you will never be in my Top 100 Favorite Subscribers… Top 200 isn’t bad.

So thank you (especially to those 6 people who haven’t deleted this particular Blog).

To learn more about Subscribing to the PrincipalsPage.com Blog… CLICK HERE.

A dog with a brain the size of a golf ball has figured out that the concept of camping isn’t the best way to live.

I don’t understand why you would want to trade living in your own house for hanging out in a cramped camper in the middle of the woods.

Most campers are small. Really small. So small you would rather sit in a lawn chair next to the fire.

This isn’t good because it leads to you smelling like a cigarette.

Then if you get tired of smelling like tobacco you have no choice but to put on your shoes and take a shower (again, not good… not good at all).

I’m also not a big fan of my kitchen table and bed being the same piece of furniture.

Call me crazy, but where I sleep and where I eat should be very distinct spaces.

I have no interest in moving the salt shaker so I have a place to put my pillow.

Don’t even get me started on the mini-fridge. That was cool in college, but now I prefer my refrigerators come with more than one ice tray.

Maybe they find camping calming.

Maybe they enjoy the peace and quiet.

Maybe they like the break from their regular routine.

Maybe I should keep my mouth shut because I get all of these when they go camping.

I’m not saying who benefits more when they camp, but at least one of us took a shower in bare feet this weekend.

And as a special bonus, I slept in my own bed… not on the kitchen table.

There is one good thing about camping: smores. If you are not familiar with the delicacy that is the smore here is a quote from the movie The Sandlot:

Ham Porter: Hey, you want a s’more?Smalls: Some more of what?Ham Porter: No, do you want a s’more?Smalls: I haven’t had anything yet… so how can I have some more of nothing?Ham Porter: You’re killing me, Smalls! These are s’mores stuff. Okay, pay attention. First you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow’s flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then, you stuff.

If you haven’t seen The Sandlot… run… don’t walk to the video store. Or Netflix… whatever (I just about forgot it’s 2009).

The lowdown: Canadian first-grade teacher Kathy Cassidy invites readers into the classroom to interact with students and her dynamic lessons.

Why We Love It: Besides sharing fun ideas like making fairy-tale characters out of clay, Cassidy lets us witness her students’ learning firsthand by posting lots of videos and photographs. And another bonus: We get to learn from Cassidy’s many guest speakers, too!

Why She Loves Blogging: “My favorite thing about blogging,” says Cassidy, “is that the students literally have a worldwide audience. They see themselves as writers because people can and do read and comment on their work.”

The lowdown: Teach for America teachers share the ins and outs of the sometimes controversial program.

Why We Love It: Whether you want TFA dirt (like how tough the boot-camp training really is) or warm fuzzies (like one blogger’s quest to get her student to love books by reading with her nightly over the phone), you’ll find the goods in this collection of blogs from TFA corps members working all over the country.

Why We Love It: From tips for up-and-coming student teachers to his own reflections on his process, Mr. B. reminds us how far we have come. Perfect for those days when we’re feeling just a bit jaded.

Why He Loves Blogging: Broaddus enjoys the feedback. “Knowing that there are other teachers (or teacher candidates) out there who are working the front lines and having the same concerns that I have had is comforting, and we work through them together,” he says.

Why We Love It: With arts programs always under threat, it’s nice to feel like there’s an online home for people who value the importance of watercolor and oil paints.

Why They Love Blogging: Both McGee and Andrlik enjoy the opportunity to connect with teachers nationally and internationally. Says McGee, “Art education has a unique set of challenges,
and blogging has created an online forum to share ideas.” Adds Andrlik, “Our readers often give us new insight on a topic or provide a fresh perspective based on their unique experience.”

Why We Love It:: Needleman skips the jargon and explains how to incorporate iPhones in the classroom, clarifies podcast copyright laws, and discusses making digital movies, putting even the technologically challenged at ease.

Why We Love It:: There’s no hard-core pedagogy here—other than that determination can make all successful—but we get to see the kids’ creativity at work. And if you want something more theory-based, Angala keeps another blog at teachersol.blogspot.com.

The lowdown: A second-grade teacher with the pseudonym Mrs. Mimi dishes about the crazy side of teaching.

Why We Love It: Fantasies of throwing down with that colleague who –rummages through your desk? Horror field-trip moments that have carved a permanent groove in your mind? Faculty-room shenanigans that rule your day? Thanks to Mrs. Mimi, we never have to feel alone.

Why She Loves Blogging: Says Mrs. Mimi, “It’s comforting to know that I am not alone in my frustrations.”

The lowdown: Anonymous elementary school teacher blogs about the students she loves and the job she hates.

Why We Love It: This blog gives you totally true antics of the elementary school kind and tips you can really use: Preview “educational” videos before showing and be alert for fourth-grade make-out sessions! Perfect with a good cup of coffee, when you need to block out irritating colleagues, and when you could use a good laugh to start your day.

The lowdown: Hear straight from Scholastic’s team of teacher advisors on topics ranging from reader’s workshop to discipline and organization.

Why We Love It: All of the photos and videos! Almost every post features a photo showing exactly how the teacher advisor implemented an idea in his or her classroom. You can also subscribe to the posts for just your grade level.

Why We Love It: Let’s be honest. Sometimes we’d rather come in sick than call in a sub. Mr. Homework, however, is one of the good guys. His outlook on the sub life (e.g., “Sometimes it’s not about actually teaching anything”) makes us wish he was in our district.

Why We Love It: The word games may conjure images of worksheets with cutesy pics and fill-ins, but Edlavitch goes way beyond that. His arcade games with Flash—complete with worksheets teachers can print out—are reminiscent of old favorites like Pac-Man. Kids will play video games anyway, why not sneak in some learning potential?

The lowdown: Brian Crosby discusses how he uses blogging and other technology in the classroom.

Why We Love It: Crosby’s creativity can’t help but draw us in. He has used Skype to broadcast a class visit from Christa McAuliffe’s mother and to communicate with a student who is on home instruction due to leukemia.

Why He Loves Blogging: Says Crosby, “It is the strongest resource I have experienced in 28 years of teaching.”

The lowdown: Artist, poet, and math educator Jose Vilson gives the inner city a human face by blogging about sometimes touchy topics.

Why We Love It: Vilson does not shy away from tackling the controversial, such as his entry about the shortage of black Latino male teachers like himself. He’s passionate about changing education and exposing inner-city reality, and his passion is contagious.

The lowdown: A school bus driver fills us in on the insanity that goes on before students enter the classroom every morning and after they leave.

Why We Love It: We all have to multi-task, but try keeping order and driving at the same time! This blog gives us the dirt—from failing brakes to bus “heathens” like WhinyGirl. This is a side of school we often overlook!

One of the many things that has happened is I’ve picked up all sorts of useless knowledge.

Except it’s not useless.

I’ve learned a great deal about technology and different strategies I can incorporate into my day job.

From blogs, to Jing, Twitter, websites, Microsoft Office, Joomla, email tricks, public speaking… the list goes on and on.

The latest is podcasts.

My lack of knowledge about podcasts was larger than my confusion surrounding blogs (if it’s possible to know less than nothing).

I heard the term “podcast” in administrative meetings, but l didn’t have a clue what they were.

The “go-to” move of a dumbfounded school administrator is to nod politely and then move on (basically principals and superintendents are a slightly higher form of Pavlov’s Dog… or lower form… depending on your opinion).

If you are a runner, you know that in this case Plan B stands for bathroom.

This was a problem.

So I considered my options and quickly realized I didn’t have time to put together a committee.

I was on my own. A school administrator’s worst nightmare (after all, there is safety in numbers).

I’m no math teacher but when I run 3 miles away from the house, it is roughly 3 miles back to the house.

There is an educational lesson here.

Administrators need the ability to only plan, but the skill to quickly come up with Plans B, C, and D when their first plan fails.

And it almost always does.

This happens with scheduling, curriculum, athletics, AYP, and just about everything else that is part of running a school.

In my case Plan A (exercise) was a big success. Plan B was a little trickier, but I made it home.

Barely.

Plan C was the nap. After all of my work, what could possibly go wrong with me getting a little shut eye after school on Friday.

I rushed home, changed out of my school armor (shirt and tie), turned the TV channel to golf, and snuggled in with my best buddy (Buddy the Dog… and yes we were spooning… don’t judge us… because you don’t understand our love…).

I immediately went to that place where I’m almost asleep but still awake.

While I didn’t graduate from Harvard Law School, I do know that is a curse word to almost every 5 year old. So Mr. President, if you dare take on the ever so controversial act of addressing school children in the future, please clean up your language.

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While this site operates with the knowledge and awareness of the Tuscola CUSD #301 School Board, Tuscola, Illinois, the content and opinions posted here may or may not represent their views personally or collectively, nor does it attempt to represent the official viewpoint of Tuscola CUSD #301 administrators or employees.